Lost Creek Hollow the silhouette of you dancing

Shadowpup could not see or hear, but she could smell. Damp earth and spring rain flowed into her little nostrils when she awoke from a nap. Her wobbly head lifted as she sniffed the air. In the next moment, she felt hunger and began to whimper and whine for milk.

shadowpup was with her today. the hours had been thick with springtime rain. crowfeather and the boy child lay curled in a corner of the den. silvertongue no longer resisted the nursing of any child; now having cycled those of ash paw and akavir between her own, she knew to bring the girl closer, tucking the pup into the curve of her body. the sharpfang shut her eyes.

Shadowpup quieted immediately when she felt Silvertongue's soft touch and nestled into the downy fur of her belly. She latched and began to feed. Her dark little paws kneaded, tail quivering with happiness. Satiated, the infant coiled across her brother’s back happy and contended.

eventually she did look down at the girl, glancing at her small edges of obsidian down and noticing how very much she resembled crowfeather. and silvertongue was relieved. in goodwill she scooped the girl closer, clearing her throat softly and feeling her eyes drawn back to the tiny features.

Shadowpup cooed a happy note when her mother tucked her close. The neonate buried her face into Silvertongue’s fur and a strong feeling of security and love made her tail wiggle happily. 

Her gummy mouth opened into a wide yawn as her toes stretched upwards and felt the whiskers of her birth mother.

shadowpup was still too sweetly little to understand that silvertongue meant for ash paw to be her mother. the appearance of akavir's pups had been serendipitous in a way; nursing from two she-wolves might mean her maternity would not be in such demand. in spite of herself and these thoughts, she could not keep herself from scenting shadowpup's little outstretched paws, something slackening inside her spirit.

It was a pity that these moments would quickly fade from the baby’s malleable mind. She would never remember these sweet interactions with Silvertongue. Only the vague feeling of happiness and love. If the starfang meant to give up her role as a parent, it would be easy to slip away from Shadowpups’ memories.

For now, she felt a warm breath tickle her paw’s soft, little pads and giggled.

silvertongue did not know what she wanted from each moment to the next. the crushing horror of the birth had not left her; nor the memory of crowfeather tensing away from her touch. she had brought life and it seemed more suited that the children be raised by their fathers. and yet. she did not know. a tear misted into nothingness along a single cheek; she closed her eyes and nuzzled the downy, round belly.

Silvertongue's strife was not perceived by the wee babe. She was simply fed, clean, warm, and happy. A big, gaping yawn made Shadowpup’s tongue curl and she smacked her lips a couple of times as her body wriggled to get comfy. Then, she drifted off to dreamland.